Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 30. (ca. 1799). Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40. / https://ansp.org/research/library/archives/0000-0099/coll0040/
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) wrote, in his 30th Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1179. Marginated Dove, or Turtle Dove. It is common throughout the United States, and is often seen throwing the dust over itself in the roads, and heard cooing in our open fields. It is about 11 Inches long; the bill ¾ of an Inch long, of a horn colour, darkest at the tip; eyes red; the forepart of the head, throat & breast, a rufous brown; the hind head, blueish ash colour; between these two colours, just below the ears, is a deep blue spot about the size of [a] grain of wheat; the neck on each side, reflects bright prismatic colours; back, wings & middle feathers of the russet brown, but the scapulars, and greater wing coverts nearest the body, are marked with oval black spots of different sizes; quills deep brown with the outer edges light; a cuniated tail, the outer feathers ash colour tipped with white; between the two colours is a band of black. Columba marginata Linn. La Tourterelle d'Amerique. Buff. & Brisson. Long-tailled dove, Edwards pl. 15. No. 1180. Female, very nearly like the male; a little lighter colour." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "Turtle Dove (C. Marginata) common throughout the United States, is often seen throwing the dust over itself in the Road, or heard cooing in our open fields." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Carolina Pigeon, or Turtle-Dove / Columba carolinensis" in American Ornithology vol. 5 (Pl. 43), where "Peale's Museum, No. 5088" was cited (Wilson 1812: 91). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175520#page/109/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175520#page/108/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Mourning Dove
Current Scientific Name
Columbidae | Zenaida macroura
